Adjustable wheel stretcher



Dec. 4, 1928. 1,694,172

a. A. GALLOWITZ ADJUSTABLE WHEEL STRETCHER Filed April 1, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l zvi 2 l v w fl e. K P

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G. A. GALLOWITZ ADJUSTABLE WHEEL STRETCHER Filed April 1, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vwentoz Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAVE A. GALLOWITZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE KNY-SCHEERER COR- PORATION OF AMERICA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ADJUSTABLE WHEEL STRETOHER.

Application filed April 1, 1926. Serial No 99,080.

My invention relates to an improvement in an adjustable wheel stretcher and the novelty consists in the adaptation and arrangement of parts as will be more fully hereinafter pointed out.

In handling patients in hospitals, where practically all serious accident and operative cases are now handled, it is often necessary to move the patient from the bed to the stretcher and from there to the operating table even though such moving may not only be painful but actually harmful to the patient. It is therefore imperative that such transfer from bed to operating table and back to bed be made as easily as is possible. My stretcher is adapted to effect such necessary transfer with the least possible disturbance to the patient.

Referring to thedrawings Figure 1 is a perspective of my device. Figure 2 is a top plan view of the top of my device and Figure 3 is a longtiudinal cross section of Figure 2 on the line 3-3.

In the drawings 4 is a frame having four hollow vertical posts 5, in the base of said posts 5 are mounted bicycle wheels 6 so that they will rotate freely on said posts 5. At the head of each of the posts 5 is rigidly mounted a gear box 7 of usual construction and cross shafts 8 are mounted in proper engagement through said boxes 7. In the middle of said shafts 8 are mounted gear boxes 9 of usual construction so that cross shafts 8 pass therethrough in proper engagement therewith.

Rack bars 10 of usual construction are housed in the hollow posts 5 so as to suitably engage the gears in gear boxes 7. A longitudinal shaft 11 is also properly mounted through gear boxes 9 engaging therein in the usual manner and a wheel 12 having a handle 13 is rigidly secured to said shaft 1]..

A subframe 14 is rigidly secured to the tops of the four rack bars 10 and a top or stretcher member 15 having an outer frame 16 and flexible cross slats 17 and flexible longitudinal slats 18 and also having angle irons 19 rigidly secured under each end of 15 so as to engage the cross bar at each end of the subframe 14. A pin 20 is also mounted in each of the cross bars at the end of the subframe 14 and the angle irons 19 have semi-circular cutouts 21 adapted to slide over said pins 20 whereby the stretcher member 15 is held from sliding between said angle irons 19 engaging the cross bars at each end of the subframe 14 and the pins 20 registering in the cut outs 21.

It is thus seen that by turning the handle 13 and the Wheel 12 to the right and left the motion will be transmitted through the shaft 11 and gear boxes 9 to the shafts 8 and through gear boxes 9 to the shafts 8 and through gear boxes 7 to rack bars 10 whereby they and the subframe 14 and the stretcher 15 carried thereon may be raised or lowered as may be desired.

The stretcher member 15 having flexible cross slats 17 and flexible longitudinal slats 18 makes a perfectly comfortable stretcher Which rides easily for the patient and as it is mounted only against sliding by means of angle irons 19 over cross bars of subframe 14 and by pins 20 and cut outs 21 said stretcher 15 can be easily and quickly removed as may be required for convenience in handling the patient.

I claim:

In a stretcher the combination of a rectangular frame having four vertical legs, a bicycle wheel rotatably mounted on the lower end of each of said legs, a gear box rigidly secured to the head of each of said legs, a cross shaft running through and between each end pair of gear boxes, a gear box mounted in the middle of each of said cross shafts so that said shafts run therethrough, a longitudinal shaft running through said middle gear boxes having a wheel and handle at one end, vertical rack bars housed in said vertical legs and passing through said leg gear boxes, a sub-. frame mounted on said rack bars and a removable top member mounted on said subframe.

In testimony whereof I aflix' my signature.

I GUSTAVE A. GALLOWITZ. 

